WHEN I FIRST read about Disney’s Aulani
Resort & Spa on Oahu, and its desire to combine the features of a high-end family resort
with authentic Hawaii through art and cultural
programs, I had my doubts. All I could picture
was Mickey and Minnie in hula skirts and
coconut bras.

So, I took my doubting self to Ko Olina,
Oahu, where Aulani is situated, to see if the
resort lived up to its promise.

I am happy to report that Disney not only
fulfills its goals, it exceeds them. Set on a blue-green ocean bay, Aulani successfully melds a
full-fledged, 21-acre family resort in a stunning
oceanside setting; scads of ocean-, pool- and
land-based activities for children and adults;
and an absolutely incomparable spa, with art,
architecture, music and language that pay sincere homage to the authentic past and present
culture of the Hawaiian Islands.

The research

“Even I was skeptical,” Elliot Mills, vicepresident and general manager of Aulani, tellsThe Connection. “As a native I’ve seen manyattempts by resorts, with the best of intentions,fall far short from doing it right.”Doing it right, in this instance, means cap-turing the true aspects of Hawaiian culture,while dispensing with the elements that havebecome synonymous with Hawaii (such as tikitorches, which are actually Polynesian).

The difference, says Mills, was having a
company with the assets, imagination and storytelling experience of Disney at the helm of
the project. As well, he says, it was about communicating with locals and establishing a relationship of openness, honesty and trust about
the company’s intentions.

“The fundamental decision we made atAulani was to go to Hawaiians and ask them,‘What does this place mean?’ ‘Who are you?’‘What do you have to say?’ ” says Joe Rohde, a30-year veteran of Disney Imagineering whogrew up north of Waikiki. He spent two yearsmeeting with artists, historians, musicians,elders, cultural advisers, experts and spiritualleaders before construction even began. “Thatled us to all the art, all the design, all the thingsthat you see here.”“Key to this,” says Mills, “was convincingeveryone that this wasn’t going to be aboutDisney, that Aulani [pronounced ow-lah-nee,which means “a messenger of a chief”] is meantto be a portal, a conduit to tell Hawaii’s stories.”Says Rohde, “Once the Hawaiians under-stood what it was we were going to be in thisrelationship—that we would be collaboratingwith them, we would be offering our storytell-ing skills to them, but, in fact, the stories weretheirs—any initial skepticism disappearedpretty quickly.”

The results

Just a quick 17-mile drive from Honolulu
International Airport, Aulani’s entrance is
graced with a lo’i kalo, or taro terrace, reminiscent of a working taro farm.

The Aulani entrance and lobby, the aptly
named Maka’ala, which means “open your
eyes,” is a jaw-dropping feat of art and archi-

tecture. A rock outcropping forms the grand,
open-air lobby’s foundation, over which towers an arched roof based on a traditional
Hawaiian canoe house—a design echoed
throughout the resort to convey the importance of the canoe to the Hawaiian culture. A
view to the ocean is directly across from the
entry; on each side is flowing water, one a
rushing stream, the other tranquil.

“This reflects the idea in Hawaiian culture that there is a symbolic balance and harmony of masculine and feminine elements,
the two streams joining in a waterfall that
cascades into the gardens toward the beach,”
Kahulu De Santos, Aulani’s cultural adviser,
tells The Connection.

“Maka’ala does several things all at once,”says Rohde. “It is a warm and welcoming placethat expresses the spirit of aloha, acceptanceand inclusion. But it also announces that thisplace—Hawaii—is a unique place, and thatthere are stories to be learned here that you maynot know—lots of them. Lastly, it also suggestsa feeling of elegance and artistry, which is con-sistent with true Hawaiian culture.”With more than 50 pieces decorating theresort, including murals, oils, acrylics andwatercolors, batik on silk, sculptures, woodcarving and bas-relief, Aulani showcases one ofthe largest collections of contemporaryHawaiian art in the islands.

On the exterior of the two towers, bas-relief sculptures rise 15 stories, interpreting
traditional songs as visual images, as well as
depicting symbols integral to Hawaiian legend.

The result is a high-rise version of a fishing
village, with lots of timber and thatch reflecting

connectiontravel

The Costco Connection

To view and book exclusive Costco Travel
Aulani packages, click “Travel” at Costco.com
or call 1-877-849-2730. Costco Travel’s fall
package includes four nights for the price of
three and a Disney Character Breakfast.

MagicandmeaningDisney’s Aulani Resorttells the stories of Hawaii

Clockwise from left:
Uncle shares a story
of Hawaii; exquisite
spa facilities; floating
on the lazy river.